Automatic cam section for knitting machines



June 18, 1968 MISHCON I 3,388,563

AUTOMATIC CAM SECTION FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed June 1, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENTOR.' Sam Mlshcon i so m oaK l2 I ATTORNEY S. MISHCON June18, 1968 AUTOMATIC CAM SECTION FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed June 1, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Sam Mishcon fimzglri WITNESS ATTORNEY United States Patent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An oscillatory circular knitting machine for making a simulated full fashioned article such as a shirt collar is diclosed. The needle cylinder of the machine is held stationary, and an adjustable cam block is oscillated relative to such cylinder. The cam block is so designed that after a predetermined number of courses during the-knitting of the article, the stitch cam of the cam block gets indexed to a new position. Then, after a second predetermined number of courses of the article, the stitch cam is indexed again. This is repeated so that successively tighter and tighter (or looser and looser, as the case may be) courses are discretely provided in the article.

This invention relates to knitting machines of the type having independent knitting needles, and more particularly to a novel needle carnming mechanism for such knitting machines.

It is an object of this invention to provide a needle camming arrangement for an independent needle knitting machine in which the etfective position of the needle cams may be regulated in an automatic fashion during Operation of the knitting machine in order to influence an automatic variation in the character of the resulting knitted web.

Using this invention it is possible to provide a needle cumming section for an independent needle knitting machine in which the effective position of the needle cams may be regulated in an automatic fashion during operation of the knitting machine either gradually between a plurality of successive courses of knitting or abruptly between selected courses of knitting in accordance with a preselected pattern.

A further object of this invention is to provide an oscillating circular knitting machine with a cam section of the above character for automatically varying the length of the resulting knit stitches so as to produce shaped fabric panels which simulate full fashioned panels.

With the above and additional objects and advantages in view, as will hereinafter appear, this invention comprises the devices, combinations, and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment in which:

FIG. I represents a side elevational view of a portion of a knitting machine having the automatic cam section of this invention applied thereto,

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the knitting machine of FIG. 1 taken substantially along line 2-2 thereof, and

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the automatic cam section.

In the drawings this invention is illustrated as applied to the cylinder needle cam means of an oscillating circular cylinder and dial knitting machine. As will be apparent, however from an understanding of this preferred embodiment, the automatic cam section of this invention may readily be applied to a fiat bed knitting machine or to a circular knitting machine which is rotated continuously in one direction.

The knitting machine to which this invention is illus- "ice trated as applied in the drawings is provided with a'stationary frame including an outer frame ring 11 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, and a bearing column 12 illustrated in FIG. 2 in which a drive sprocket 13 is journaled. Secured to the outer frame ring 11 as by bolts 14 is a needle cylinder 15 formed externally with parallel needle slots 16 each slot slidably accommodating a latch knitting needle 17 formed with an outwardly protruding butt 18. Attached to the needle cylinder 15 by spaced angle brackets 19 is a needle dial 20 formed with radial needle slots 21 each slot accommodating a latch knitting needle 22 formed with an upwardly protruding butt 23.

For imparting endwise movement to the knitting needles, the outer frame ring 11 is formed with an annular recess in which a cam retaining ring 31 is journaled for oscillatory motion. At spaced points about the needle cylinder, the cam retaining ring 31 carries section blocks indicated generally at 32 one section block between each spaced pair of brackets 19. The section blocks 32 carry the automatically variable needle cams of this invention as will be described in detail hereinbelow and upon oscillation of the cam retaining ring 31, the cams on each section block will influence the endwise position of a group of the cylinder needles between a respective pair of the brackets 19.

Carried on the dial 20 is a cam race ring 33 formed with an annular raceway 34 covered by a gib ring 35 secured by screws 36 to the race ring. A dial cam ring 37 which is formed with an annular bearing rib 38 journaled in the raceway 34 carries earns 39 and 40 for influencing the endwise position of the dial cams. The cam retaining ring 31 and the dial cam ring 37 are interconnected for oscillation in unison by means of a pair of upstanding poses 41 secured on diametrically opposite sides of the cam retaining ring, a crossbar 42 secured in the upstanding posts 41, and a pair of upstanding posts 43 fastened on the crossbar 42 and secured to the dial cam ring.

For imparting oscillatory motion to the cam retaining ring 31, the sprocket wheel 13 which may be rotated by a belt from a source of power such as an electric motor or the like, has afiixed thereto as by screws 51 a crank arm 52 formed with a radial slot 53. A shouldered crank pin 54 formed with a threaded stud 55 may be secured in selected position along the slot 53 by means of a nut 56 on the threaded stud 55. A connecting rod 57 which emraces the crank pin 54 also embraces a shouldered pivot pin 58 which is formed with a stud 59 threaded by engaging a tapped hole 60 formed in the underside of a boss 61 depending from the cam retaining ring 31. The boss 61 is accommodated in an arcuate clearance slot 62 in the outer frame ring 11 of the knitting machine.

Upon operation of the drive means, the cam retaining ring 31 and dial cam ring 37 will thus be oscillated carry ing the section block 32 and the dial earns 39 and 40 back and fourth relatively to the cylinder and dial needles 17 and 22 in order to reciprocate the needles. A yarn stand as well as yarn carrier means which may be supported for oscillation with the cam rings 31 and 37 have been omitted from the drawings in the interest of clarity. It will be understood, however, that any conventional yarn carrier means including provision for periodically introducing a separating yarn may be used. Similarly a conventional web take-up device which may be utilized to draw the knitted strips from the needles has not been illustrated. In dashed lines in FIG. 1, however, is illustrated the general outline of one possible configuration of a knitted strip which may be produced using the automatic cam means of this invention. It will be appreciated that one knitted strip such as 70 may be produced between each adjacent pair of angle blocks 19 and that a plurality of such knitted strips may be produced simultaneously about the circular machine with the character and configuration of each strip depending upon the cam arrangement for the corresponding group of knitting needles.

With particular reference to FIG. 3, the construction of the section block 32 of this invention will now be described.

The section block comprises an angle support bracket including a base limb adapted to be secured by fastening screws 81 on the cam retaining ring 31 and an upstanding limb 82. The upper portion of the exposed face 83 of the upstanding support bracket limb 82 is formed with a convex curvature corresponding to the curvature of the needle cylinder, while the lower portion of the exposed face is formed with a recessed seat 84 of generally triangular configuration. Fixed on the exposed face 83 of the support bracket limb 82 by screws 85 is a plate 86 having corresponding convex curvature. The plate 86 depends over and covers the recessed seat 84 and is formed opposite the recessed seat 84 with a right equilateral triangular opening 87 flanked at each side by symmetrically arranged elongated slots 88L and 88R parallel one with each side of the triangular opening 87. Secured as by pins 90 to the plate 86 above the apex of the triangular opening 87 is an inverted V-shaped needle cam element 91, the under surface 92 of which operates as a cushion cam for the needle butts during the rise of the cylinder needles and to impart an initial downward or drawing motion to the needles after the rise.

Since the cam means of the section block 32 is adapted, in the embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, for use with an oscillating machine, the cams in order to cooperate with the needles in each direction of oscillation, are arranged symmetrically about the vertical centerline of the section block. The adjustable cam arrangement at the lefthand side of the section block as viewed in FIG. 3 will be denoted by reference characters with the sufiix L and the cam arrangement symmetrical thereto on the righthand side will be denoted on the drawings by reference characters with the sufiix R.

Disposed within the recess 84 in the support bracket limb 82 and secured behind the plate 86 by screws is a guide frame 101 formed with a right equilateral triangular opening 102 congruent to the opening 87 in the plate 86. The guide frame 101 is formed with inclined guide surfaces 103L and 103R parallel one with each side of the triangular opening 102 with each guide surface 103L and 103R terminating at the bottom of the guide frame in a projecting abutment lug 104L and 104R. Each of the abutment lugs 104L and 104R is formed with a guide bore 105L and 105R parallel to the guide surface and slidably accommodating a rod 106L and 106R projecting from a slide block 107L and 107R which engages the guide surface 103L and 103R. The slide blocks 107L and 107R each carry a threaded stud 108L and 108R projecting through the elongated slots 88L and 88R in the plate 86 and each threadedly engaging a draw cam 109L and 109R with a needle engaging cam surface 110L and 110R which contacts an outer guide surface 111L and 111R of the cushion cam 91.

The slide blocks 107L and 107R are each formed with an enlarged slabbed head 112L and 112R which is engaged by the rounded lower extremity 113L and 113R of a slide pin 114L and 114R constrained in a bore 115L and 115R in the upstanding limb 82 of the support bracket. Constrained on the rods 106L and 106R between the abutment lugs 104L and 104R and the slide blocks 107L and 107R are coil springs 116L and 116R urging the draw cams upwardly. The coil springs however may be overcome and the draw cams shifted downwardly by depression of the slide pins 114L and 114R.

The cushion cam 91 and the draw cams 109L and 109R cooperate with a needle raise cam 119 which is preferably trapezoidal in shape and is secured to a positioning block 120 accommodated snugly within the triangular apertures 87 and 102 of the plate 86 and the guide frame 101, respectively. The positioning block is formed with a cylindrical rod 121 disposed within a bore 122 in the base limb 80 of the angle support bracket and resiliently constrained therein by a headed screw 123 threaded into the free extremity of the rod 122 and accommodating a coil spring 124 between the head of the screw 123 and the base limb 80 of the bracket. The raise cam 119 is formed with a recess 125 at the top accommodating a pivoted swing cam 126 therein.

The positioning block 120 is formed with a clearance slot 127 and the upstanding support bracket limb 82 with a clearance slot 128 to accommodate a swing cam operating pin 129 which may be influenced by conventional means to turn the swing cam upward into a position to raise the needles 17 into the knit position or to lower the swing cam into the position illustrated in FIG. 3 in which the raise cam 120 will elevate the needles 17 into tuck position.

The upstanding bracket limb 82 is formed with a vertical guide bore 130 slidably accommodating a cylindrical slide rod 131 which may be slabbed as at 132 to avoid the seat 84. A coil spring 133 arranged at the bottom of the guide bore 130 bears against and biases the slide rod 131 upwardly and a stop provided by a pin 134 extending transversely from the slide rod and working in a slot 135 through the sidewall of the guide bore 131 against a stop block 136 secured atop the bracket by screws 137 provides an upper limit to motion of the slide rod 131 in response to the force of the spring 133. The pin 134 also prevents turning movement of the slide rod 131. Clamped to the slide rod 131 above the bracket is a split collar 138 through which screws 1391. and 139R are threaded each in alignment with one of the slide pins 114L and 114R. The screws 139L and 139R may be locked in selected position in the split collar 138 by means of set screws 140L and 140R.

The slide rod 131 is formed with a deep V notch which is arranged in the guide bore 130 opposite a clearance opening 151 through the upstanding limb 82 of the support bracket. A threaded bore 152 formed in a collar 153 secured to the upstanding limb 82 by screws 154 is aligned with the clearance opening 151 and accommodates a threaded portion 155 of a shaft 156 of which the rounded free extremity 157 extends through the clearance opening 151 and into engagement with the V notch 150 in the slide rod 131. A standard 158 secured by screws 159 to the base 80 of the bracket is formed with a bearing aperture 160 supporting the shaft 156.

Preferably as illustrated in FIG. 2 the rounded free extremity 157 of the shaft abuts the lowermost inclined wall of the V notch 150 and serves to provide a micrometric adjustment of the vertical position of the slide rod 131 in response to the bias of the coil spring 133. Turning of the shaft 156in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 3 will thus cause the shaft extremity 157 to withdraw from the guide bore .130 allowing the slide rod 131 and the stitch cams 109L and 109R to rise while turning of the shaft 156 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 3 will force the slide rod .131 and the stitch cams 1091. and 109R downwardly.

It will be appreciated that the draw of the needles, i.e. the distance which the needle is withdrawn beyond the knitting line constitutes an important factor in the density of the resulting knitted web. As the stitch cams 109L and 109R are shifted downwardly, therefore, the density of the resulting knitted web will decrease and as the stitch cams are raised the density will be increased. In the drawings two different means are illustrated for imparting turning movement to the shaft 156 for shifting the posi tion of the stich cams; one for imparting successive small movements of turning movement so as to effect a gradual change in the density of the knitted web, and the other for imparting a rapid turning movement to the shaft.

For imparting successive small increments of turning movement to the shaft 156 to effect a gradual change of density of the knitted web, a ratchet wheel 170 is made fast to the shaft 156 of which the ratchet teeth are engaged by a pawl 171 pivoted as at 172 on a lever 173 freely journaled on the shaft 156 between the ratchet wheel and a collar 174 on the shaft. A coil spring 175 acting between a pin 176 projecting from the pawl 171 and the lever 173 biases the pawl into engagement with the ratchet Wheel. A pair of stop screws 177 threaded in brackets 178 on the lever 173 one at each side of the shaft 173 abut the base limb 80 of the angle support bracket to limit turning movement of the lever 173 and a coil spring 179 acting between the lever 173 and the base limb 80 of the angle support bracket biases the lever 173 into the position illustrated in FIG. 1.

A stud 180 carried by the lever 173 at the opposite side from the pawl 171 is therefore normally biased into an elevated position by the coil spring 179 and during oscillation of the section block 32 may be engaged and depressed by an inclined cam block 181 carried by a conventional cannon indicated generally at 182 carried on the frame ring 11.

Any conventional form of cannon 182 may be employed, as for instance, those regularly used to influence stripping devices into and out of operation in circular knitting machines. The essential elements of the cannon 182 include a support frame 183 secured by screws 184 to the frame ring 11 and formed with spaced guide bores 185 for a pair of plungers 186 and 187. The plungers 186 and 187 are each pivotally connected to an operating lever 188 fulcrumed at 189 on the support frame 183 and a coil spring 198 acting between the operating lever 188 and the support frame 183 biases the plunger 187 to which the cam block 181 is secured into an extended position as illustrated in FIG. 1. A rod 191 slidable in a bushing 192 carried on the frame ring 11 is connected by a link 133 to the operating lever 188 and depends into the path of high links 194 on a pattern chain 195 as the chain passes over a sprocket 196 journaled in a bracket 197 secured beneath the frame ring '11. The rod 191 is positioned by the bushing 192 out of the path of low links 1118 of the pattern chain and therefore indexing of the pattern chain provides for control of the cannon 182; the cam block 181 being positioned by the spring 190 into effective position in the path of motion of the stud 180 when a low link 198 is disposed opposite the rod 191 and the cam block being retracted whenever a high link 1% on the pattern cam is indexed into a position engaging the rod 191.

The pattern chain may be indexed by appropriate connection (not shown) with the drive mechanism for the knitting machine as is conventional in the art.

While the cam block 181 occupies an effective position as illustrated in FIG. 1, the stud 180 by engaging the cam block during each oscillation of the section block 32 will impart an increment of turning movement to the lever 173 and thus to the pawl 171 and ratchet wheel 170. The shaft 156 will thus be indexed gradually so as to impart a gradual shift to the stitch cams 1tlL and R one increment of shift during each complete oscillation of the section block 32 thus changing the density of the knitted web on alternate courses of knitting.

The lever 173 may also be provided with a second stud 200 at the opposite side from the stud 180 and with a second cannon (not shown) with a cam block effective to impart an increment of movement to the lever 173 at the opposite extremity of the stroke of oscillation of the section block 32 so that the fabric density may be influenced between each course of knitting. It will be appreciated that by selection of the arrangement of high and low links in the pattern chain, the change in fabric density may be caused to occur in a uniform manner or may be made to occur periodically as desired.

The ratchet wheel 1'70 and associated pawl 171 provide for a gradual fabric density change only in one direction, i.e., in that direction toward a higher fabric density. It is within the scope of this invention however to provide on the shaft 156 a second ratchet wheel and pawl arrangement similar to the ratchet wheel 170 but with teeth inclined in the opposite direction and with an appropriate cannon device 182 for influencing gradual fabric density changes in either direction. When two such sets of ratchets and pawls are employed, the inactive pawl must be released during operation of the active pawl, but since such pawl release is also required when the rapid turning movement of the shaft 156 is effected, as will now be described, a pawl release similar to that presently to be described may be used when two sets of pawls are employed.

For imparting rapid change of position to the stitch cams 109L and R, a pinion 210' is made fast to the shaft 156 and arranged in mesh with a rack 211 formed on a plunger 212 slidable in a guide slot 213 formed in a block 214 held by fastening screws 215 on the base limb 80 of the angle support bracket. Referring to FIG. 1, 220 indicates a cannon similar in construction and operation to the cannon 182 described above except that it carries a different carn block 221. The cam block 221 is carried by the cannon 220, which cannon 220 is held stationary on the frame ring 11; the cam block 221 is held normally in retracted and inoperative position, as illustrated in solid lines in FIG. 1, while a low link in the controlling pattern chain is disposed opposite the cannon control rod, and is adapted to shift the cannon control rod into operative position, as illustrated in dashed lines in FIG. 1 when under the influence of a high link in the pattern chain. The pawl 171 is formed with a tail 222 disposed for engagement by the cam block 221 when the cam block is shifted into operative position for the purpose of releasing the pawl 171 from the ratchet wheel 170. The cam block 221 in operative position is also disposed in the path of motion of an abutment projection 223 formed on the rack plunger 212. In other words, during the making of the cloth strip 70, the cam section block 32 oscillates between the positions indicated by the cam blocks 181 and 221 (in full lines). Then, when the rack 211 is to be returned to its left hand side .(looking at FIG. 1), the cannon 220 is actuated to place its cam block 221 to its position shown by dashed lines, whereby the subsequent rightward motion of the cam section block 32 first carries upward the tail 222 of the pawl 17-1, and then the projection 223 on the plunger 212 against the extended cam block 221 that stands stationary to receive the oncoming cam section block 32. The cam block 221 thus serves to release the pawl 171 and to cause relative movement between the rack 211 and the pinion 210 causing a rapid adjustment of the position of the stitch cams 109L and 109R.

Indicated at in FIG. 1 is the general form of a knitted web which may be produced using the arrangement as illustrated in FIG. 1 in which the cannon 182 at one extreme of the stroke of oscillation of the section block 32 provides actuation for the ratchet and pawl for influencing a continuous gradual increase in fabric density from an initial value, and the cannon 220 at the opposite extreme of the stroke of oscillation of the section block 32 provides for the periodic actuation of the rack and pinion for rapid return of the fabric density to the initial value. The resulting knitted fabric web may be separated transversely at the points of rapid return to the initial value of fabric density providing ideally tapered collar sections which when applied about the neck of a garment, conform inherently to a desirable shape in which the collar lies smoothly about the neck and the collar points depend in a sharp angle from the neck opening rather than the wide spread blunt angle which is presented when a knit collar of uniform density is used.

Having set forth the nature of this invention, what 7 I claim herein is:

1. In combination with an independent needle circular knitting machine having a stationary frame, a needle supporting member with needles therein and a needle cam supporting member carried on said frame, drive means for imparting relative oscillatory motion to said needle support member and said needle cam supporting members, needle operating stitch cam means shiftably carried by said needle cam supporting member, mechanism carried by said needle cam supporting member for influencing in a direction lengthwise of said needles, the position of said needle operating cam means relatively to said needle cam supporting member, and means responsive to, and at a predetermined point in, the relative oscillatory motion of said needle and needle cam supporting means for operating said cam positioning mechanism.

2. In combination with an independent needle knitting machine having a stationary frame, a needle bed secured to said frame, a bank of knitting needles constrained in said bed, a needle cam supporting member carried on said frame, drive means for imparting reciprocatory motion to said needle cam supporting member transversely of said knitting needles, needle operating cam means shiftably sustained on said needle cam supporting member, cam shifting mechanism carried by said needle cam supporting member for incrementally influencing the position of said needle operating cam means in a direction lengthwise of said knitting needles, and abutment means carried by said frame and operatively engageable with said cam shifting mechanism at an extremity of reciprocation of said needle cam supporting means' 3. Mechanism for producing shaped fabric panels on an independent needle circular knitting machine having a needle bed, and a needle cam supporting member, comprising drive means for imparting oscillatory motion to said needle bed and said needle cam supporting member relatively to each other, a needle cam section block car ried by said needle cam supporting member, at least one stitch cam shiftably supported on said section block, a stitch cam adjusting shaft threadedly engaging said section block, and means effective at the extremities of said oscillatory movement of said needle bed and needle cam supporting member relatively to each other for imparting increments of turning movement to said cam adjusting shaft.

4. Mechanism for producing shaped fabric panels on an independent needle circular knitting machine having a needle bed and a needle cam supporting member, comprising drive means for imparting oscillatory motion to said needle bed and said needle cam supporting member relatively to each other, a needle cam section block carried by said needle cam supporting member, at least one stitch cam shiftably supported on said section block, a stitch cam adjusting shaft threadedly engaging said section block, and means selectively effective at one extremity of said oscillatory movement of said needle bed and needle cam supporting member relatively to eachv other for imparting increments of turning movement to said cam adjusting shaft in one direction, and means selectively effective at the opposite extremity of said oscillatory movement for turning said cam adjusting shaft in the opposite direction.

5. An automatic cam section for an independent needle knitting machine comprising a section block, at least one needle operating cam slidably constrained on said section block for movement in a linear path thereon, a cam adjusting shaft threadedly engaging said section block on an axis transversely of said linear cam path, abutment means on said cam adjusting shaft for influencing the position of said needle operating cam along said linear path, an operating lever oscillatable on said cam adjusting shaft, and a ratchet and pawl connection between said operating lever and said cam adjusting shaft for imparting increments of turning movement in one direction to said cam adjusting shaft upon oscillation of said operating lever.

6. An automatic cam section for an independent needle knitting machine comprising a section block, at least one needle operating cam slidably constrained on said section block for movement in a linear path thereon between predetermined limits thereof, a cam adjusting shaft threadedly engaging said section block on an axis transversely of said linear cam path, abutment means on said cam adjusting shaft for influencing the position of said needle operating cam along said linear path, a pinion fast on said cam adjusting shaft and a rack slidably constrained in said section block and meshing with said pinion for imparting turning movement to said cam adjusting shaft to move said cam between said limits in a plurality of discrete steps in response to sliding movement of said rack.

7. An automatic cam section for an independent needle knitting machine comprising a section block, at least one needle operating cam slidably constrained on said section block for movement in a linear path thereon, a cam adjusting shaft threadedly engaging said section block on a an axis transversely of said linear cam path, abutment means on said cam adjusting shaft for influencing the position of said needle operating cam along said linear path, an operating lever oscillatable on said cam adjusting shaft, and a ratchet and pawl connection between said operating lever and said cam adjusting shaft for imparting increments of turning movement in one direction to said cam adjusting shaft upon oscillation of said operating lever, a pinion fast on said cam adjusting shaft, a rack slidably constrained in said section block and meshing with said pinion for imparting turning movement in the opposite direction to said cam adjusting shaft in response to sliding movement of said rack, and means for disengaging said ratchet and pawl connection during sliding movement of said rack.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 308,841 12/1884 Grammes et al. 66-27 X 430,268 6/18'90 Car-r 66-54 691,888 1/1902 Appleton 66-54 X 1,430,836 10/1922 Oakes 66-31 2,043,852 6/1936 Holmes 66-27 X 2,902,845 9/1959 McDonough 66-57 X 3,076,327 2/1963 Coile 66-54 WM. CARTER REYNOLDS, Primary Examiner. 

